1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a user interface to facilitate telephone circuit maintenance and testing. In particular, the present invention is directed to a user interface that integrates disparate maintenance and testing applications and systems into a single common control interface.
2. Acronyms
The written description provided herein contains acronyms which refer to various telecommunications services, components and techniques, as well as features relating to the present invention. Although some of these acronyms are known, use of these acronyms is not strictly standardized in the art. For purposes of the written description herein, acronyms will be defined as follows:
Advanced Interactive executive (AIX)
Basic Rate Interface (BRI)
Bellcore Client Company (BCC)
Circuit Access Code (CAC)
Circuit ID (CKT)
Circuit Layout Order Number (CLO)
Digital Data System (DDS)
Digital Speed Interpolation (DSI)
Electronic Bonding (EB)
High Level Language Application Programming Interface (HLLAPI)
Inter-Exchange Carrier (IEC)
ISDN Basic Rate Interface (BRI)
Line Record Display (OSSLR)
Local Area Network (LAN)
Maintenance and Analysis Plan for Special Services (MAPSS)
Manager Scratch Pad (MSP)
Network Monitoring and Analysis (NMA)
Network and Services Database (NSDB)
Online Query System (OQS)
Operational Support System (OSS)
Order Number (ORD)
Private Branch Exchange (PBX)
Tracking Key/Circuit Layout Order Number (TRK/CLO)
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
Trouble Report (TR)
Work and Force Administration (WFA)
Work and Force Administration-Control (WFA/C)
3. Background Information
Conventionally, in order for service personnel to perform trouble-shooting, billing updates and testing of circuits, the service personnel must perform these tasks on separate systems, each of which have a different interface. The various user interfaces require the service personnel to access multiple terminals and to memorize multiple passwords for each system. Further, service personnel need to familiarize themselves with the differing interfaces and functional flows of the different systems. In addition to the above, the conventional systems are not universally provided with an interface to communicate and transfer information to other systems.